Kin ah an — On Irish Metal Mining. 311 



bane, is the tract called the Yellow Bottoms, or Dead Ground. The 

 latter name was probably given to it in Weaver's time, because 

 the "standing copper lodes" of West Oronebane do not extend 

 into it. In connexion with it are Madame Bulev's, and some other 

 mineral lodes ; while from explorations made in 1879 and 1880, it 

 would appear that there is also a large sulphur-ore lode, the back 

 of which forms the ochre beds that were worked in 1882, and sub- 

 sequent years, for the manufacture of paints. 



The south-eastern division (West Cronebane and Tigroney) is 

 cut off by a fault from the Yellow Bottoms, the nature of which 

 has not yet been explained. In connexion with this fault all that 

 can be positively stated is, that the Mineral Channel to the east- 

 ward and westward have characters markedly distinct, the lodes 

 having different characters, while some of the minerals found in the 

 first are absent from the second. 



The main lode in West Cronebane and Tigroney is wedge- 

 shaped ; hard sulphur-ore and some coppery- ore occurring in lamina 

 parallel to the foot wall ; while south of it there were " standing 

 lodes" — thin long cake-like masses of coppery-ore. The standing 

 lodes are all worked out ; principally in the early part of the present 

 century. The main sulphur lode has been extensively worked of 

 late years, and very little ore now remains ; unless it is possible 

 that in depth the wall again separated (see note, last page). About 

 1880 the irony back of a lode was proved in the wood south of 

 Castle Howard ; it appearing in the position where the North lode 

 of Ballymurtagh ought to be found. 



In the county, north of Cronebane and Oonnary, are minor 

 veins : one, Lion's Arch lode, north of Castle Howard, having been 

 worked profitably between 1870 and 1880 for iron and sulphur- 

 ore. Some of the other lodes might be remunerative if worked in 

 connexion with one of the larger lodes. 



A deep level was commenced near the old Glebe in Shrough- 

 more, which was to have been carried south-east till it cut the 

 Connary lode : unfortunately this was not continued, as there are 

 reasons for supposing that it might have cut more than one lode 

 in its course. 



Copies of the plans, and sections of the majority of the old and 

 new workings in the East Ovoca Mines are lodged in the Mining 

 Record Office, London. 



